Guide to the Arcane Realm

Philosophies

There are some philosophical schools of thought that are not quite religions but have important ideas and practices that have shaped and impacted cultures and even entire regions. As such I felt they should be included in a brief overview of what people belief.

Ruism

Developed by the supreme philosopher Rue of the ancient Yougai dynasty. He endeared himself to the public by advocating important reforms based on humane principles od administration. Deeply concerned about the dominant militarism of the time, he offered instruction for potential leaders to refine and stabilize the government according to principles of peace and equity.

In a sense, Ruism isn't so much a philosophy (or religion, as it is sometimes erroneously called) as a model of behavior. There have been several cycles of decay and revival in the history of Ruism, but the latest wave is at the core of what has been claimed as 'traditional' values in the Sinic Region: a strong emphasis on family life and loyalties (filial piety), deference to authority and personal responsibility in authority (feudal loyalty). Associated with these are the prizing of self-discipline and (academic) learning. After his death, it was proclaimed as the official ethos of the Yougai dynasty and went on to become insanely popular. 

Witchcraft

Witchcraft, though not a religion but a metaphysical path is one of these many beliefs. Practitioners are known as witches, with most known witches being females. Males should technically be called witches too but after a group of male witches were dubbed warlocks because of a typo, the name started to catch on around laypeople. 

Witchcraft is known for its views and practices on ritual magic, be it spellcasting, summoning, or alchemy. Witchcraft alchemy is traditionally performed using a cauldron, especially to create potions from physical components. Witch summons tend to focus on that of familiars, special animals that a witch shares a empathic and magic bond with to share and assist with ritual magic. 

Witches are also known for their iconic clothing of a black robe/dress and a wide brimmed pointy hat, though they often dress normally, especially if they want to blend in, and the traditional clothing only comes out for spell casting or ceremonies. Witches were also the original creators of flying besoms as transportation. 

It's common for a witch to live alone in the woods, to practice magic peacefully and immerse themselves in a natural environment.

However many witches usually belong to "covens", groups of witches who practice magic together, share knowledge and resources and often meet to cast and discover more powerful spells. 

Sapienism

A  philosophical and ethical stance that emphasizes the value and agency of sapient beings, individually and collectively, and generally prefers critical and evidence (rationalism and empiricism) over acceptance of dogma or superstition. Generally, Sapienism refers to a perspective that affirms some notion of freedom and progress.

In modern times, sapienist movements are typically secular movements, and today sapienism typically refers to a nontheistic life stance centered on the agency of sapient beings and looking to science rather than revelation from a supernatural source or being to understand the world.

Alchemy (Esoteric)

Originally, alchemy was fundamentally spiritual. Transmutation of lead into gold is presented as an analogy for personal transmutation, purification, and perfection. Early alchemists, highlight the spiritual nature of the alchemical quest, symbolic of a religious regeneration of the soul.

They used to believed that the world was composed of a handful of elements that generated the world by moving according to their own natures, animated by the great Source from which all life sprung. This concept of elements was adopted by naturists and elemental mages in their spellcraft fields.

Alchemy also differed based on the region. Some focused on channels of energy transmission, others on medicine to preserve health and hopefully create an undecaying body. Occidental alchemists generally divided the elements into fire, water, wind, earth, and quintessence (star-matter). Sinim alchemists had a different worldview and saw fire, water, earth, wood, and metal.

Due to the suppression of alternative religious philosophy in Ecclesiam's heyday, many alchemical books are intentionally difficult to read and understand. Alchemists published books but typically encoded the philosophies in complicated allegories or secret codes known only to their friends. Many alchemical books focused on transmutation or changing metals into other metals based on the idea that it mimicked a natural process.

Metals were separated into noble and base metals which represented celestial bodies. Agents for transmutation were divided into particulars and universals like the philosophers stone. Even the body (of humanoids) was considered an alchemical workshop with organs doing the transmutation.

Early alchemy's search for gold leads to fine-tuning of metallurgy into its modern understanding. The search for changing matter eventually diverged into the development of useful things alcohol, alloys, pigments, perfumes, cleaning products and later, chemistry.

For a few centuries, alchemy was publicly attacked as superstition, causing it to go underground and maintained only in secret societies. Afterward, alchemy focused on activating the magic energy within everyday objects to give them new properties or putting together magical reagents for specific outcomes.